Obama Ends Cuban Immigration Carve-out | Jan 15 2017

Cuban Migrants on Deadly Journey to U.S. Wrongfooted by Obama

– Yahoo News

“Effective immediately, Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal,” Obama said in a statement. “We are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries.” The old rule was “designed for a different era.”

Since the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in December 2014, Havana has stepped up its calls to end the “wet foot, dry foot” rule amid a spike in Cubans leaving the island for U.S. soil and using increasingly dangerous routes. The Obama administration’s move essentially denies the benefits of the Cuban Adjustment Act to new Cuban migrants, though officials still urged Congress to repeal the law.

“Essentially, what the agreement means is that past is past, but that the future will be different,” Jeh Johnson, the secretary of Homeland Security, said Thursday.

While Trump has railed against his predecessor’s expansive use of executive power, the transition team quietly supports Obama’s midnight-hour executive action. A source close to the incoming administration, requesting anonymity amid a bumpy transition, indicated that Trump is unlikely to restore the immigration policy because transition officials see the move as being in line with his emphasis on “law and order” and tough talk on immigration.

“This is a good change, because the policy will allow us to return criminal aliens to Cuba while having no impact on the rights of legitimate asylum-seekers,” the source said.

Obama administration officials said the timing of the move was intended to catch Cuban migrants by surprise in order to avoid a mass rush to the mainland United States before the deadline and avert a potential humanitarian crisis.”

….Continue reading more @ Yahoo News

– Interesting stories and on the ground reportage. /CJ

Only Some Illegals Are Welcome

– rightwinggranny.com

“The Associated Press is reporting today the President Obama is changing the policy regarding Cubans who flee to America seeking freedom.

The article reports:

President Barack Obama announced Thursday he is ending a longstanding immigration policy that allows any Cuban who makes it to U.S. soil to stay and become a legal resident.

The repeal of the “wet foot, dry foot” policy is effective immediately. The decision follows months of negotiations focused in part on getting Cuba to agree to take back people who had arrived in the U.S.

“Effective immediately, Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal, consistent with U.S. law and enforcement priorities,” Obama said in a statement. “By taking this step, we are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries. The Cuban government has agreed to accept the return of Cuban nationals who have been ordered removed, just as it has been accepting the return of migrants interdicted at sea.”

This is from the President who has consistently refused to secure the southern border of America. This is from the President who has been trying for years to make every illegal in America a citizen.

I question the timing of this more than I question the action. I honestly don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but why is it being done a week before President Obama leaves office? Why is President Obama so willing to take Middle Eastern refugees who do not value democracy and so unwilling to take Cuban refugees who are seeking freedom?”